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Minister for Local Government, Planning and SportThe Honourable Andrew Fraser

Urban Footprint to control FNQ growth: Fraser

Minister for Local Government, Planning and Sport
The Honourable Andrew Fraser

Monday, October 09, 2006

Urban Footprint to control FNQ growth: Fraser

Local Government and Planning Minister Andrew Fraser today announced $3.7 million would be allocated to developing Far North Queensland’s first ever regulatory Regional Plan.

Mr Fraser said the Plan would be developed with input from councils, the community, development groups and environmental groups.

“For the first time outside the South East, we will place an Urban Footprint over those areas of the Far North that are suitable for urban and residential development,” Mr Fraser said.

“We will legislate so urban development can only occur inside this Footprint. All land outside the Urban Footprint will be protected from development.

“This Plan will protect the Far North’s agricultural areas, environmentally sensitive areas and will be a major boost to the longevity of the region’s tourism economy.

“There are some immediately obvious areas that we need to lock away from urban development, areas such as the Daintree rainforest and CapeTribulation in the north, and the productive cane lands south of Cairns.

“It is expected that Far North Queensland will grow by around 3500 people every year over the next 20 years.

“We cannot allow this growth to lead to urban sprawl or unwanted rural residential developments, which will impact on the very qualities that make the Far North such a popular place to call home.”

Mr Fraser said a project team would be established and based in Cairns and the Far North Plan would be developed along the same lines as the successful South East Queensland Regional Plan.